Page 63 of Dandelion Sighs

I laughed despite how much I disliked her talk about other women and being done with me. What was I to her? What could I possibly be? I’d keep this light, but she wasn’t some woman, and I wasn’t just another employee. “Is that my type? My boss? No wonder I’m single. Lily got to Eliot first.”

She giggled. “You snooze, you lose.”

My smile faded. I had snoozed on a lot. Including the woman in the bathtub with me. The same woman I had not-so-jokingly proposed to. The woman who’d turned me down regardless.

I’d done it for her. So she could meet her own goals. But… Had I taken too much time and missed out on something that could’ve been really good? Could we have gotten married and ended up like my siblings? Blissfully happy and planning our own family?

I struggled to swallow. There was the other ending. Divorce.

Sheridan was right. What were the odds that all six of Annie Duke’s grandkids would’ve found love because of that damn trust?

Well, I’d made sure the odds weren’t one hundred percent.

Chapter Nineteen

Jasper

The next morning, waking up to Sheridan in a bed that wasn’t in a guest room in the resort was even better than the first time we’d fallen asleep together. After breakfast, I left a chipper Sheridan under the guise of going home to change before I helped her tackle a few closets. Then I went home, did what I had said I would, and went right to Aunt Linda’s.

For some reason, I looked over my shoulder before I knocked on my aunt’s door. Was I scared someone would see me? No one else knew about the trust outside of my family, and it wouldn’t make it back to Sheridan. Would she think I was coddling her by doing this? I just needed information.

Uncle Darren opened the door, dressed like he was about to head to the golf course. Behind him, my aunt was putting her shoes on.

“Jasper. This is a surprise.” He assessed me and probably guessed at why I was here. I never stopped by otherwise. I liked my aunt and uncle well enough, but my dad had gotten all the charm and the knack for small talk. Linda was quiet, and Darren, for all his many opinions, really did keep them to himself. He might frown disapprovingly. Whenever they gave us an excuse for missing any family gathering, I suspected it was because they wanted to skip the inevitable awkwardness.

Unfortunately, none of us minded. “Sorry I didn’t call first. I was just hoping to talk for a minute.”

Linda straightened and gave me a tight smile. “Is it about the cabin?”

“How’d you guess?”

Darren gave her a knowing look, and she nodded. He stepped to the side.

In their little ranch home, the scent of bacon surrounded me. I had just come from a tidy breakfast with Sheridan of the leftovers of what we’d made last night.

Linda crossed her arms. “Is there something about the rules that you have a question on?”

No. She would recite them if any of us brought up the trust. “It’s about the sale. Am I right in assuming that you’re going to sell?”

She lifted her chin. “Are you asking on behalf of Miss Bishop?”

Linda was astute. She’d put two and two together. “I think she’s deserving of it.”

“Yes, well.” Her expression flicked back to Darren.

My uncle rubbed his chin. “Can Miss Bishop make the same offer the Recreation Expansion Group made?”

“Who?”

“REG,” Linda said. “They want to build a hotel and retreat area.”

Shock slapped me across the face. They’d already talked to her? “The people who want to turn the bay into a party area?”

Darren frowned. “They don’t describe it like that.”

“They wouldn’t, would they?” When his frown deepened, I dropped my head. Reel it in, Jasper. “I was only trying to do right by Sheridan.”

“I should hope so.” Linda put her hand over her chest. “It’s not worth a little land to break the girl’s heart.”